Mask structure



Dec. 23, 1947. A. H. BULBULIAN MASK STRUCTURE Filed July 22 1945 3Sheets-Sheet '1 ARTHUR -H B'U'LBUL IAN Dec. 23, 1947. u u| A 2,433,088

MASK STRUCTURE Filed July 22, 1943 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

ARTHUR H. BULBULIAN Dec. 23-, 1947. A. H. BULBULIAN MASK STRUCTURE FiledJuly 22, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ARTHUR H. BULBULIAN Patented Dec. 23,1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MASK STRUCTURE Arthur H. Bulbulian,Rochester, Minn. Application July 22, 1943, Serial No. 495,966 Claims.(01. 128-146) My invention relates to mask structures particularlydesigned for use of aviators at high elevations and has for its objectto provide a new and improved form of mask which at the same time willprovide exceptional protection and comfort in being worn, perfectsealing of the face of the aviator even where unusual contours exist,short and easy breathing passages making possible simple and easybreathing, and practically complete elimination of liability of frostingat exceedingly high elevations and corresponding low temperatures.

It has been found in practice that masks for controlling delivery ofoxygen to aviators going to high altitudes, in the extremely lowtemperatures which are encountered at such high altitudes, may be foundto seal ineffectively, to frost up so as sometimes to entirely close theexhaling valve, to give inefiicient protection to the cheeks and sidesof the face with resulting quite frequent frosting, which do notcomfortably support the chin and which are held upon the face of theaviator in such a manner that the chin may slip forward to block valveoperation and condensation may flow back under the chin. There furtherhas been great difficulty in sealing the mask upon the sides of thenose.

It is a principal object of my invention to overcome all of thesedifficulties by simple and effective means which will result in theproduction of a mask structure which can be comfortably worn and willeliminate all of the difficulties above mentioned.

It is a further object of my invention to provide in a mask structurequite deep flaps to overlie the cheeks of a wearer and to form on theinsides of these cheek flaps and at a substantial distance inwardly fromthe margins of said flaps, semi-lunar inwardly turned flaps open attheir inner edges which will normally engage and fit into the hollowpart of the cheek and which when subject to positive pressure in themask structure will be forced against the cheek portions.

It is a further object of my invention to p ovide such semi-lunar innerfiap portions in conjunction with very deep wide face-engagingextensions of the mask structure which will have the effect ofprotecting the most exposed parts of the face and those most likely tobe frostbitten.

It is a further object of my invention to continue said wide extensionsunder the chin thickened and curved in a manner to give at the same timea convenient chin rest when the mask is worn, and to prevent the chinbeing thrust forward so as to cut off the exhalation passages or blockthe exhaling valve.

It is a further object of my invention to prepare the aforesaid chinrest so as to make it of substantial thicknessand to form a barrier orraised rim against condensation within the breathing chamber so thatsuch condensation will not flow back under the chin and get under thecheek parts and in that way produce serious discomfort.

It is a further object of my invention to so modify the spring gripmembers at the nose of my Patent No. 2,323,199 as to materially improveboth their permanence and gripping quality, to wit, by making theannularly disposed finger portion on the end of each arm in the form ofa loop and by underlying said loop adjacent the contact of the rubberagainst the face of the wearer with a pad of fabric material allembedded in and beneath layers of the rubber of the mask.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear inconnection with the detailed description thereof given in the appendedspecification, and the novel features which produce the aforesaidimprovements and advantages in use will be particularly pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my mask viewed from the open side thereof andhaving a part broken away to show the exhalation tube outlets.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 viewed in the direction ofthe arrows.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation view of the mask with straps attached.

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the mask taken from the outside, being thereverse of the showing of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a side plan view of an end of the nose-gripping wire with therubber removed to show the form and relative position of the angularlydisposed finger and pad associated therewith.

As illustrated my mask comprises a main body part III, a nose-receivingpart II, extended cheek engaging parts I2 and I3 extending into a bottompart [4, Figs. 1 and 4, which is cupped or convexly curved as indicatedat IS in Fig. 4. The bottom part I4 is extended into a heavy rim.

member I6, Figs. 1 and l, which provides a ridge or ledge ill and atrough l8. The main body part 9 is formed on the inside with asubstantially straight and plane-faced front wall 32, which provides theouter limit of the breathing chamber.

The arrangement of cupped lower part [5 and rim it provides a rest forthe chin of the wearer and prevents the chin from slipping over theexhalation valve l8, Figs. 1 and 4, and at the same time the trough l8furnishes a trap for any moisture which condenses and tends toaccumulate within the breathing chamber l9 formed within the body of themask when it is applied to the face of a wearer. A microphone chamber 26is provided in the front wall 32. Within this chamber a microphone, notshown, may be positioned, and a normally closed tube 2| leads to achannel 22 within the microphone chamber 29 through which the wire tothe micro phone, also not shown, will be introduced.

A tube 23 leadsat an outward angle from the bottom portion l4, E5 of themain mask body and is adapted to be connected with a demandtype oxygendelivering device, which may be used with or without a reservoirrebreathing bag. The demand-type oxygen supplying and controlling means,the source of oxygen and the reservoir rebreathing bag, if one is used,are of known constructions and in and of themselves form no part of myinvention, for which reason they have not been shown. The channel 24leading through tube 23 branches at 25, following the course indicatedin dotted lines at 25 in Figs. 1 and 4, so that inhalation gases aredrawn into the breathing chamber l9 immediately below the opening of thenostrils thereinto and at the sides of the front wall H) and of themouth as the mask is worn.

' An outwardly projected member 28 forms an exhalation chamber 29. Around opening 30 formed by an annular rib 3| is adapted to receive theexhalation valve it}, Figs. 1 and 4. The exhalation valve l8, ofstandard construction, is provided with a valve member 33 which engagesthe outer face of valve 18. This valve. member is of standardconstruction and blocks any entrance of inhalation gases to thebreathing chamber It. From the exhalation chamber 21 extend two passages34 and 35 formed by front wall 32 and the projecting mask member 28,which latter has extension legs 36 and 31 to complete the passages 34and 35. The passages 34 and 35, as perhaps best indicated in Figs. 4 and7, are very short, extend directly downward, and surround or straddlethe tube 23 which encloses the inhalation passageway 24.

This close compact arrangement in a mask which completely covers thecheeks and chin and may be worn with a high degree of comfort, insuresvery easy breathing and concentrates the warm exhalation gases so thatthe valve 32 will not freeze shut regardless of the degree of cold.

The passages 34 and 35 are wide and fiat and have bottom channels 38 and39 which will receive any liquid condensate and quickly discharge itfrom the mask. Even if some ice should form adjacent the points 33 and39, a little manipulation of the lower parts of tubes 38 and 3'! at andadjacent the points 38 and 39 will quickly crumble and permit immediateremoval of said ice. But the travel of warm gases of exhalation is soshort that ice will only form at the extreme edges of the tubes 31.These tubes are made fiat and long, as shown, not only to facilitatedrainage from the inside of the mask, but to maintain at all timesrelative large exhalation area which enables exhalation to take placeeven under pressure of great excitement with substantially the same caseas when exhaling in the open air. The passageway 35, as indicated inFigs. 1 and 2, is not only flattened but is made wide enough to permitthe fingers to be introduced into the exhalation chamber 29 forpositioning the exhalation valve 18, when that is desired, for breakingice if there is any formed about the tube 23 where it contacts theexhalation chamber '29 at 42 and also permits opening into theexhalation chamber 29 to permit inspection.

The side parts l2 and I3, when the mask is worn, cover the face and chinof the wearer from points just below the eyes to well back on thecheeks. As worn, these flaps or cheek extensions thus protect all partsof the face of the wearer not covered by helmet and jacket collar, thusinsuring that the wearer will not have his face frozen at high altitudesor burned from fire caused by accident or enemy action.

With the cheek flaps l2 and I3 extended so far outwardly, there might bedifiiculty in making an effective seal.

In order to secure against leakages which would be likely to happenwhere bony or hollow cheeks are involved, I have provided a pair ofinwardly turned flaps 40 and 4|, which, as indicated at 43, Fig. 5, areformed integrally with the main body of the cheek parts l2 and I 3, andextend inwardly toward the face of the wearer at an angle indicated at44 in Fig. 5. These flaps may be of any desired shape or extent and willbe located toward the inner portions of the side parts l2 and I3, andpreferably will have arcuate free margins and be of a semi-lunar shape.The flaps 4E! and 4! will tend to enter irregular or depressed contoursof the sides of the face of a wearer and will be firmly seated insealing engagement therewith. This arrangement enables the extendedcheek covering parts [2 and I3 with all their comfort and protectingadvantages to be used without any tendency to produce an insufficientsealing of the breathing chamber upon the face of the wearer.

As a means of securing against any possible leakage at the criticalpoint of contact of the mask with the sides of the nose of the wearer, Iemploy a modified form of the wire nose-gripping member covered byPatent No. 2,323,199. In this improved form the main transverse archedwire 45, Figs. 1, 4, .6 and 8, and the inturned arms 46 and 41, aresubstantially those of the aforesaid patent except that the inward bendof arms 46, 47 is made greater and presses the nose margins closertogether as indicated at 48 in Fig. 1. To enable this arrangement tomeet the added strains on the rubber of the mask and at the same time tomake it comfortable to be worn, I have made the angularly disposedfingers at the ends of arms 66 and G1 in the form of a circular loop 49,Fig. 8. Beneath this loop I have placed a disc pad 56 of some strongcloth or fabric which is preferably rubber impregnated as well asembedded in the rubber of the body of the mask. This pad 59 receives theinward thrust of the fingers 49 against the rubber covering of the maskand through that against the nose of the wearer, as indicated in Figs. 3and 8, distributing the pressure and rendering the construction durableand at the same time comfortable.

The mask of this application has the very great advantage of being atthe same time unusually comfortable and protective in wear, effective inthe seal maintained upon the contacted surfaces of the face of thewearer, and extremely eflicient in the matter of ease of breathingeffected by short direct passage control.

A great advantage resides in the employment of Wide cheek engaging partswhich cover most all of the cheek parts from just below the eyes incombination with a chin engaging part which covers and protects allparts of the chin including those parts of the chin which extend downinto the neck.

It is a further important advantage of my invention that I have combinedwith these wide cheek parts, inturned flaps integrally united along oneedge with the insides of the cheek engaging parts of the mask and sopositioned thereon as to provide a means of. adapted contact withirregular and bony parts of the face and cheeks of the wearers toeffectively seal the mask upon and over said parts and to effect thissealing with great efficiency.

It is a further substantial advantage of my invention, aiding in thesealing effect, that the Wide cheek-engaging parts connect with thenosereceiving part of the mask and are held at their point of thisjunction firmly against the depressed portions at the sides of the noseby spring arms having fingers protected by fabric pads so that asubstantial degree of pressure may be exerted at this point withoutdanger of breaking through the covering of rubber and without discomfortto the wearer.

It is a further advantage of my invention that the outwardly-extendedcheek covering parts are formed and positioned to permit the formationin conjunction therewith of a chin rest and a supporting ridge at itsinner margin, so that not only is the chin covered and held comfortablyin the mask, but the chin is prevented from slipping forward to engageand block the inhalation valve, and, further, so that the ridge or rimforming part of this chin rest and guard at the same time forms a troughfor receiving condensate and carrying it away from the wearers face.

It is a further and substantial advantage of my invention thatnotwithstanding the large degree of protective covering over the faceand chin of the wearer which my mask provides, the exhalation valve andpassageways and the inhalation tube and passageways are so related toeach other and to their entrance into the breathing chamber within themask that the mask is made very compact and of relatively smalldimensions, and the aforesaid breathing passage are all so short and ofsuch large cross-sectional area that easy chamber wide and flatlytriangular, of very short 6 exhalation valve and chamber centrallypositioned and opening from the breathing chamber through the-lower partof said wall, a chin-receiving part extending into a substantially rigidrim spaced from said wall so as to prevent the chin from contacting theexhalation valve, said part being shaped and positioned to contact thechin with a high degree of comfort and to form a trough outside saidchin-receiving part at the bottom of the'breathing chamber for theaccumulation of condensate adjacent said exhalation valve and to preventcondensate from wetting the chin and face of the wearer, and an openingextending from the bottom of the trough into the exhalation chamber anddischarging to the exhalation outlet outside of and subject toexhalation pressure in the breathing chamber to effect continuous rapidevacuation of accumulated condensate.

2. A mask for use in delivering oxygen at high altitudes, comprising abody portion having a nose-receiving part at the upper limit thereof,side parts extending therefrom and uniting in a chin-receiving part,said side parts being of broad transverse width and contacting largeareas of the face and chin'and extending in each direction from closeunder the eyes as worn, and flap means integrally united along one edgewith the insides of each of said side parts, the lines of union beingpositioned inwardly a considerable distance from the outer edges thereofto bring the free edges of the flap means near the inner edges of theside parts at the breathing chamber as the mask is worn so as to permitexhalation pressure to be exerted inside said flap means and upon thecheek parts of the wearer.

3. A mask for use in delivering oxygen at high altitudes, comprising abody portion having a nose-receiving part at the upper limit thereofadapted to envelope the nose between the eyes and to grip the corners atthe nose below the eyes, said body having a substantially straight frontportion with side parts extending therefrom and from the nose-receivingpart and uniting in a chin-receiving part, said side parts being ofbroad transverse width and contacting large areas of the face and chinand extending in each direction from close under the eyes as worn, andan inwardly opening flap member integrally united along one edge withthe inside of each of said side parts, the lines of union beingpositioned inwardly a considerable distance from the outer edges of theside members to bringthe free edges of the flap members near the inneredges of the side parts at the breathing chamber as the mask is Worn, soas to permit exhalation pressure to be exerted inside said flap membersto cause a sealing of irregularities of facial contours under said cheekparts.

4. A mask for use in delivering oxygen at high altitudes from demandtype oxygen delivering means, comprising a body portion having sideparts extending therefrom and uniting in a chinreceiving part, said sideparts being of broad transverse width and contacting large areas of theface and chin and extending in each direction from close under the eyesas worn, said chinreceiving part being of correspondingly broadtransverse width and formed with an underlying substantially rigidthickened rim adapted to hold the chin from slipping forward into thebreathing chamber when the mask is worn, and inwardly opening flapmembers integrally united along one edge with the insides of each ofsaid side parts, the line of union beginning at points spaced from thechin-receiving part and being positioned inwardly a considerabledistance from the outer edges of the sidemembers to bring the free edges.of the flap means near theinner edges of the side parts at thebreathing chamber as the mask is worn, so as to permit exhalationpressure to be exerted inside said flap members and uponthe cheek partsof the wearer.

5. A mask for use in delivering oxygen at high altitudes from demandtype oxygen delivering means, having a body portion adapted as worn toenclose and seal in a breathing chamber, a broad exhalation passagewayformed outside of said breathing chamber and having valve communicationtherewith, a pair of branching short wide exhalation tubes triangular intheirend outlines extending from said passageway downwardly and inwardlyto the lower edge of the mask body and thus shaped and positioned to bereadily grasped by the fingers of the wearer for collapsing and thus toefiect crushing andelimination of any ice forming on or in these tubes,an inhalation tube adapted 3130 be connected with the demand oxygendelivery mechanism located between the last mentioned tubes andextending outwardly from the mask between said last-mentioned tubes andbeneath the exhalation passageway, and means including a trough formedat the bottom of the breathing chamber and having connection with theexhalation passageway to permit accumulation and discharge of condensatethrough the exhalation tubes outside the maskwithout wetting the face ofthe wearer.

ARTHUR H. BULBULIAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED .STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,323,199 Bulbulian June 29,1943 2,323,198 Bulbulian June 29, 1943 2,318,790 Martindale et al. May11, 1943 2,228,218 Schwartz Jan. 7, 1941 2,166,164 Lehmberg July 18,1939 2,308,991 Melup Jan. 19, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date529,345 France Nov. 26, 1921 802,211 France Aug. 31, 1936 636,117Germany May 12, 1933

